Creating a Lasting Meditation Practice

One habit I’m hoping to create in 2017 is a lasting meditation practice. I have dabbled throughout the years, but nothing lasted longer than a few weeks. Things would get busy, and I would let my practice slide. And as the old saying goes:

“You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day — unless you’re too busy. Then you should sit for an hour.” -Zen proverb.

I’m going to start with ten minutes, and work my way up from there, but the sentiment remains. The busier you are… the more meditation can help you.

If you are new to meditation, here are the methods that I love:

Simply Being App:
You decide how long the meditation is, and this gentle guided meditation does the rest. Great to do before auditions, in your trailer, or before you go to bed.

Kris Carr Meditation Album:I could listen to Kris all day. I’ve been a big fan of hers for several years and she recently came out with a meditation album. There are meditations for every occasion, and are especially great if you are focusing on regaining your health.

Sitting:
This comes from my long time acting coach, Steven Anderson, and his study of Shamballah. Simply sit upright in a chair with both feet flat on the ground, hands palm down on your knees. Pick a point of focus on the ground about six feet in front of you, and start your timer for 5-10 minutes. The challenge is to sit and not follow any thought that comes into your head. So simple, but extremely difficult.

Belly Breathing:
This is my own variety of meditation. I have the tendency to tense my belly all day and I need to remind myself to allow breath in there. It’s pretty basic: I just lay on my back, knees bent with feet on the ground, hands on my belly and focus on sending my breath into my hands. I play one of my favorite songs twice which comes to about ten minutes. This would also work with a white noise app.

Headspace:This simple app helps you create a meditation practice from the ground up. My nutritionist recommended this to me and it’s a great place to start if you have never meditated before.

Whichever modality you choose, join me in trying to make it a lasting practice. There is so much scientific evidence that mediation does wonders for physical and mental health!